Isn't it time to meet Grace's parents? Are they aware of what a nightmare child they have raised? So superficially polished, polite and socially skilled, yet so morally bankrupt - unchecked, where will this lead? She's young still, so hope persists. But, when Anna visits Grace's abode she's smiling, eating a tub of ice cream and watching an enormous television. What was said? Unreported.
Anna embodied the constant parental dilemma - to protect and to punish. How much of each is enough? Tim abdicates responsibility, unsurprisingly, as Anna doesn't really want his input. Whether she wants Sally's input is academic really, as she most certainly gets it. All guns blazing, Sally is calling Faye 'evil' and telling Anna that she should 'nip this in the bud' and other nuggets of unwanted advice. 'You're starting to bug me now. You're sticking your nose in where it's not wanted.' Sally evokes the past and how slapped legs sorted her out. But hang on a minute, Sally, do you not have a daughter called Rosie who led you a very merry dance? Memories can be short-lived when launching into criticism of others.
Gary was superb in his rational analysis of the whole situation and even had an accolade from Owen. 'Gary's right,' he says. And he was.
Mary is the one who sees the attack on Asha's phone. Aadi and Asha tell Mary that the attack is all over school. Of course, Simon would suspect that this might happen, another reason why he didn't want to go to school. Peter has his work cut out trying to persuade him to go to school, and Carla, at least on the face of it, shows little sympathy, or, perhaps to be more forgiving of her, she does have a factory to run and a wedding to arrange. Peter though seems very disengaged from the wedding, and Carla tells him so. Might it be the case that Peter's thoughts s are not exclusively on Simon though? Tina most certainly gets better treatment from the groom-to-be and it's impossible not to notice the lingering looks on departure, from both Peter and Tina.
Tina to the rescue for the morning that Peter allows Simon to have off school and don't they get on well, Tina and Simon? Peter knows this and maybe, just maybe, thoughts of the future are not on floral matters and a wedding, but other matters.In the middle of his fury at Anna, it was Tina who shepherded Peter out of the café in a very skilful manner. Oh yes, we know where this is going.
It's not often Carla needs sympathy, but in front of Michelle and Steve, she was somewhat humiliated. Knowing full well that Peter was preoccupied with Simon's difficulties and not interested in flowers, when her phone rings, she says it's nothing, which also irritates Peter. Can't win Carla. So she tells them what it's about, only for Peter to tell her to get flowers from Dev's or the park as he has real things to worry about.
Great reference to the olives that Gail over-ordered in the Bistro. Steph's, 'I don't know why they order so many,' was a reference of course to Gail's mistake, or rather it was Lewis' addition of a few noughts as part of his revenge.
Steve isn't half under the cosh at home. Michelle needs reminding that Steve is her partner, not her 7 year old child. 'And where do you think you're going?' she asks. Steve is actually going to study with his friend Andrea. Andrea has been mentioned a few times lately but Steve reassures Michelle by telling her that Andrea is plain, and her oil painting would be called Plain Girl, whereas Michelle's painting would be called Eternal Beauty. Hmmmm. Michelle's fury over the accounts and Liz's digs are probably fair, but still Steve seems to be dogged by them. Why has Michelle become so joyless of late? 'You,' she says would be 'Shifty, with thinning hair.'
Hayley's irritation with Roy is palpable. She is intent on working on Carla's dress despite Roy's anxiety about it. The great joy of watching Roy and Hayley is the total credibility they bring to their scenes. Against the terrible backdrop of death, there still remains normality.' Every time I get into a groove you disturb me,' she snaps. Roy reminds her that she's been at it since 7 a.m. He then regales her with the arrangements for her first session of chemotherapy. Immediately on her return, she goes back to the dress. Downstairs goes Roy and is irritated in his turn by Mary's appearance at the door. He is brusque with her and tells her he has no dessicated coconut, (or even desecrated coconut). She's not here for that. She is here to help Roy and help she does. Through the glass we see Hayley smiling in acknowledgement of Mary's kindness as the chess game begins.
Mary gets a bad press.She is considered to be, by those both on and off The Street, an eccentric, weird, an oddball. Yes, she is different from most people, but different doesn't mean worse. What harm has she caused anyone? She has done good for quite a few people, especially Dev and his children. And really, if all of us ask ourselves, and then answer truthfully the question as to whether or not there is something unusual or odd about us, it would be a rare soul who could say, 'No, there is nothing odd about me whatsoever.' ,
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